ISRAEL COMMITS 'WAR CRIMES' IN OCCUPIED WEST BANK, FORCIBLY DISPLACING PALESTINIANS: HRW

HAMILTON (Canada), Nov 21 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Thursday said Israeli forces forcibly displaced tens of thousands of Palestinians from three refugee camps in the occupied northern West Bank in January, in violations of international law that amount to "war crimes."

The report examined Israel's "Operation Iron Wall," a large-scale military operation that began in the Jenin refugee camp on Jan 21 before Tel Aviv expanded it to the Tulkarem and Nur Shams camps, and other areas in the occupied northern West Bank, Anadolu Ajansi reported.

According to HRW, the operation emptied the camps of approximately 32,000 residents, making it the largest displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank since 1967.

One displaced resident, Nadim M., a 60-year-old father of four, told HRW that Israeli soldiers "restrained him with zip ties, searched his property, and then ordered him and his family to leave, warning them that if they turned to go to the left or to the right they would be targeted by Israeli snipers who were deployed in high places nearby."

The report said Israeli forces also demolished 850 homes and other buildings and failed to take "meaningful steps to ensure the safe and dignified evacuation of civilians," while ignoring the needs of people with disabilities.

"Israeli forces committed forcible displacement in violation of the law of occupation under international humanitarian law that amount to war crimes," HRW said, adding that the actions also qualify as "forcible transfer of population and other inhumane acts as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against a civilian population, which are crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court."

The rights group demanded Israel halt the demolitions, allow residents to return, meet humanitarian needs and cooperate with UN investigations and the International Criminal Court.

Responding to Anadolu's question regarding the report, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric reiterated the UN's position during a news conference.

"We've been talking about what is going on in the West Bank for quite some time," he said.

"We're well aware of the report that Human Rights Watch issued today, and I think our representatives, both on the ground and in front of the Security Council, have been very clear about the situation in the West Bank, especially those of Palestinian civilians, notably during the ongoing olive harvest," he said, noting that the UN has "raised this issue directly … both privately and publicly with Israeli authorities, and we will continue to do that."

The Israeli army has escalated attacks in the occupied West Bank since the outbreak of the war in the Gaza Strip in October 2023.

More than 1,076 Palestinians have since been killed, and 10,700 injured in attacks by the army and illegal settlers in the occupied territory. More than 20,500 people have also been arrested.

In a landmark opinion last July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU